Into the Forbidden Forest
by WiseGryffindor
Summary: Theodore Nott wants to get away from it all, the Death Eaters, the war. Witten for season 7 round 6 of the QFLC.


**Prompts:**

**Nature - story must take place in nature**

**(word) uncomfortable**

**(word) starlight**

**(character) Theodore Nott**

Hogwarts was no longer the sanctuary it once was. The Death Eaters ruled it with an iron fist. Slytherins got away with everything and Gryffindors got blamed for everything, almost the opposite of what it used to be. This time though it was to more of an extreme. If you were wrong or got in trouble, the punishments were terrible. Slytherins never got punished, it was more like a Gryffindor got punished for something a Slytherin did. It was incredibly wrong. Punishments were getting the Cruciatus curse cast on you, and if you were a Muggle-born, getting acid poured on your hands.

The halls were no longer filled with laughter and happiness but with screams and pain. The once bright rooms were dark and frightening. When many students didn't return, the ministry made it illegal to not go to Hogwarts. Theo Nott was sitting in class watching fellow Slytherins cast curses on Gryffindors. He was disgusted, but if he didn't do it, it would be worse for them. He would also get a letter sent home to his father and that was something he definitely didn't want. He decided it was time to get out of this. He planned to run away at Christmas.

If he was found he would be a dead man. So it had to be remote but not an obvious choice. This led him to the idea of hiding in the Forbidden Forest. It was remote, and yet so obvious that no one would look. It was super dangerous. Christmas was getting closer by the day. With that brought doubt to Theo. He may have wanted to get away but he didn't want to die, he was a Slytherin after all.

The halls were crowded and filled with happy students going home for the holidays, all except one. Theo was pale and sickly looking but none the less he was walking towards the carriages like everyone else. His trunk held all of his possessions he deemed important enough to bring with him. There was one other thing he did that was causing him to worry. He left a note in Draco's trunk asking him to send an owl once the war was over. It held no information only that he was leaving.

The carriage was loud, making it almost impossible for Theo to hear even his own thoughts. Draco was looking worriedly at him. The carriage ride dragged on and on, and Theo got paler and paler with each passing minute. Finally, the carriage came to a stop. In the crowd, Theo easily slipped away from his friends and classmates. He stayed at the edge near the forest and then he just disappeared.

The forest was dark and the trees cast human-like shadows across each other. With each step, Theo got deeper and deeper into the forest. It was about noon when he stopped for a quick break. He wanted to get as far away as possible before the alarm was raised. His breathing was ragged, his trunk was uncomfortably heavy, and his legs were numb, not used to the physical exercise. Still, he carried on. There was no going back now. Every step was harder than the last, but he refused to let that stop or even slow him down.

It was only when starlight began shining through the trees that he finally stopped. Theo knew he wasn't far enough, but he had to sleep or he wouldn't get any farther. In his trunk was 2 weeks worth of food. He ate a simple dinner and fell asleep looking at the stars.

Theo rapidly blinked open his eyes while trying to adjust to the bright light. He awoke to all his food scattered across the ground. Everything sweet was gone—the work of a unicorn. About half of what was left had bugs on every surface. Very carefully Theo salvaged anything still edible and continued his walk. Today it was harder because all of his aches and pains from yesterday were still there. Still, he walked, his mind blank. Thinking was too much work and every time his mind wandered, he would trip over something. By noon his pain seemed to be going away, more or less. It got easier.

Just as the sun was setting he saw something moving. It was a centaur.

"What business do you have here, boy?" He growled. Theo took a step back.

"Nothing, just passing through."

"This is centaur territory."

"Which way leads deeper into the forest and away from your territory?"

"Go East." He pointed with one of his hands. "Now go."

Theo started walking in the direction the centaur had pointed. Hopefully away from Hogwarts. Theo walked for almost an hour more with the only light being from the sun. Tonight Theo made sure to lock his trunk before falling into a fitful sleep.

He woke up with a sore back from sleeping on the hard ground. In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to bring a tent, but it was too late now. Theo once again started to walk in the direction the centaur had pointed. When the sun had reached its peak, Theo decided he was far enough into the forest. Gently he set his trunk down. He looked around for the perfect tree to make his base on. There was one tree which looked almost like an uppercase f. It would be perfect, there would be a place for him to stay and a place for his food to go high above his head. Carefully he cast wards around the sight, using his magic for the first time in days. Because of the wards, he would be able to use simple spells without being detected.

It didn't take him long to find a couple of branches big enough to make a temporary lean-to to use as a shelter until he made something more permanent. He laid his head on the ground and was out like a light.

Days passed and Theo felt almost content, his permanent structure was coming along well and he found the nature soothing. That's when things started to go wrong. It was lunchtime, and when he looked in his trunk for food there was nothing left. He searched the entire thing multiple times but he had no food left. He would have to start scavenging. On a nearby plant, he found some berries that looked like raspberries. They tasted like raspberries too! He had found food but not enough. After that day every day, he would search for food. He caught small animals and roasted them over a fire, he found berries and other plants that looked familiar. Some made him sick, some didn't. He knew what most poisonous plants had in common so stayed far away from them.

Months passed and Theo felt at home. He had a routine and a place to live. He had found the best plants to eat and planted them in an area near his hut. One day he heard an owl. It had a letter in distinctive handwriting.

_Theo,_

_I am writing you this letter to tell you that the war is over, the light won. You can come home now._

_Draco Malfoy_

Theo had conflicting emotions, he wanted to see his friends but he felt content where he was. In the end, he decided to stay, he sent Draco back his owl with a letter telling him his decision. The pair continued owling for many years after. Occasionally they even met up, but during these times Theo was very uncomfortable in a place that had once been all he knew.


End file.
